The present disclosure relates to a light fixture that uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources. Specifically, the disclosure relates to LED illuminated lighting fixtures that can be mounted on a ceiling, wall, or dropped into a drop ceiling frame.
Lighting fixtures with LED light sources are being used to replace conventional commercial fluorescent ceiling and wall mounted light fixtures because they can potentially have several desirable characteristics such as higher efficiency, more pleasing light quality, and longer light-source life.
LED ceiling and wall mounted lighting fixtures designers face several potential challenges as compared with fluorescent ceiling lighting fixtures. For example, most LEDs are point sources of light making it challenging to create even illumination. Further, direct viewing of bright, or so-called “high-brightness” LEDs can potentially cause eye damage. In addition, many commercially available high efficiency white LEDs utilize a near ultra-violet LED with a phosphor coating that can include, for example, europium plus copper and aluminum-doped zinc sulfide so that the light appears white. Direct viewing of ultra-violet (UV) light leaked from phosphor-coated LEDs can also be a potential source of eye damage.
Another potential challenge LED wall and ceiling mounted fixtures face compared to fluorescent wall and ceiling light fixtures is that unlike fluorescent bulbs that dissipate heat across their glass envelope, LED dissipate heat mostly through their non-illuminating bottom surface.
In addition, LED ceiling light fixtures that are designed to replace fluorescent ceiling troffers or as drop-in fluorescent ceiling tile replacements are often difficult to service. In many cases, the entire fixture needs to be removed from the ceiling for servicing.
Attempts to address the problem of potential eye damage or eyestrain include, for example, indirect LED lighting fixtures. However, depending on the specifics of the design, indirect LED lighting fixtures can cast a shadow or otherwise have a visual dark spot where the light source is blocked. In some applications, this may be undesirable. Attempts to make LED ceiling light fixtures that are designed to replace fluorescent ceiling troffers or as drop-in fluorescent ceiling tile replacements more serviceable include LED replacement lights in the form factor of a fluorescent replacement tubes. While these are often satisfactory in some residential or commercial settings, they may not be appropriate for circumstances requiring certain aesthetics or specific form factors.
It would therefore be desirable for there to be an LED lighting fixture that attempts to address at least some of the above-mentioned challenges.